K30m for MRA boss swimming pool

Just days after shocking revelations of Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) plans to build four multimillion swimming pools, new information has also emerged of similar extravagance by the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA).

Reports indicate that MRA plans to construct a K30 million worth swimming pool for the Commissioner General, Lloyd Muhara, at its newly acquired residence in Blantyre city.

Already MRA is being queried on why and how it reportedly paid K40 million to acquire the fairly small three bedroomed house which is situated along Namiwawa Avenue in the red carpet suburb of Namiwawa in the city.

The MRA house purchased at K40 million. Photo: Gazette

The value of the house has raised employees’ eye brows as it is allegedly far much exaggerated and does not fit the status of a commissioner general.

According to a report in the National Gazette, the property, which MRA Public Relations Manager Steve Kapoloma confirmed was bought by the tax collecting body, is “way above its market value”.

In addition to the millions of the hard earned tax money already paid for the house, MRA is also spending more millions doing renovations on the same house.

The report says so far, MRA has spent public money amounting to over K9 million to renovate the house’s lounge, K6 million to construct a fence and K1.3 million to buy a bath tub, inflating the buying price even higher.

In the Reserve Bank of Malawi revelations, management approved plans to build four swimming pools estimated at K66 million ($395 209) as part of the K1.7 billion ($10.2 million) capital expenditure.

Out of the K66 million, about K43 million ($257 485) was to be used for the construction of one pool at the governor’s residence at Area 43 in the capital Lilongwe while the remainder was to be shared for the construction of the three other swimming pools for the deputy governor’s residence, RBM’s cottage in Salima and the club house.